Jordanian queen to visit Bangladesh Rohingya camps

[10/21/2017 2:23:04 PM]

AMMONNEWS - Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan is scheduled to visit Bangladesh to see on the ground the plight of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh fleeing violence in Myanmar.

A statement issued by the United Nations High Commission for Refugee in Bangladesh said that the queen will be in the camp in south-eastern Cox’s Bazar district on Monday.

She will be visiting in her capacity as a board member of the International Rescue Committee and an advocate of the work of the UN humanitarian agency.

The visit will underscore the urgent need for humanitarian assistance for the vulnerable population, the statement said.

Nearly 600,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed the border after Myanmar army launched an offensive against the minority Muslims in Rakhine state on August 25. The Burmese army and their Buddhist vigilante supporters have killed many Muslims and burned down their homes.

Queen Rania will visit Kutupalong Refugee Camp and its surroundings in Cox’s Bazar.

She is expected to meet with women and children who have recently crossed the border from Myanmar and see some of the emergency services offered by the IRC, UNHCR, UNICEF, and other humanitarian agencies on the ground.

At the conclusion of the visit, she will make a press statement.

The recent influx Rohingya population are called the largest mass refugee movement in the region in decades and a major humanitarian emergency.

In Bangladesh, the total number of Rohingya refugees is now estimated to have reached around 800,000, with more expected to arrive, according to international aid agencies.

The sheer number of new arrivals has overwhelmed pre-existing service providers, leading to significant challenges in the provision of essential lifesaving services and highlighting the need for greater concerted urgent international response, the UNHCR said.